This invention relates an internal combustion engine and more specifically to the combustion chamber for such an engine and the disposition of the various components of the engine within the combustion chamber.
In the interests of improving the performance of internal combustion engines, at least in the terms of fuel economy, power output and exhaust emission control, fuel injection has been employed as a form of charge former. By utilizing fuel injectors, it is possible to obtain more accurate control and also to adjust the control on a cycle-by-cycle basis. In order to even further enhance the performance of the engine, direct cylinder injection can be utilized.
With direct cylinder injection, the fuel injector is mounted normally in the cylinder head and injects the fuel directly into the combustion chamber. In addition to providing more accurate control, direct cylinder injection also offers the possibility of obtaining stratification.
With a stratified charge, the entire combustion chamber need not be filled with a homogeneous, stoichiometric mixture under all running conditions. It is, of course, necessary to have a stoichiometric present at the gap of the spark plug at the time the plug is fired so as to ensure combustion initiation. However, if the charge can be stratified under low and medium loads, the stoichiometric charge need only be present at the gap of the spark plug at the time of firing.
However, in order to further enhance and improve engine performance, the use of overhead valves and overhead camshafts is utilized. Frequently, plural valves (at least two intake or exhaust valves per cylinder) are employed. Obviously, the placement of these valves, their actuating mechanism, the spark plug or plugs and the direct cylinder fuel injection presents considerable problems.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved combustion chamber and component layout for an engine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cylinder head mounting arrangement for the fuel injector of a multi-valve engine.
Where the engine has multiple cylinders, the positioning of the components is further complicated. It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved fuel injector and cylinder head arrangement for a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine.